‘Billy Ball’ is back, for now

A loss to Fresno State, 94-82.

A win against Nevada, 89-88.

A loss to Tulsa, 82-66.

A loss to Rice, 73-66.

A win against Grambling State, 120-95.

The men’s basketball team was 2-3 in its previous five games going into the weekend. Two wins over Nevada and Grambling were less than impressive. Three conference losses, with the toughest loss coming to Rice, put TCU on the brink of emergency status in the Western Athletic Conference standings.

The first matchup with Southern Methodist had TCU against the wall, faced with as close to a must-win situation as you can have in late January. TCU was just 3-3 in the WAC and falling off the pace set by Fresno State (6-0).

Based on that alone, the game against SMU seemed a formality. The Mustangs would come to Daniel-Meyer Coliseum and walk past the Frogs.

SMU senior guard Willie Davis seemed to think so, too. He said SMU would pick up the win and break the hold TCU basketball has held during the last 10 meetings in which TCU was 9-1. Before Saturday’s game, TCU had won nine of 10 against the Mustangs.

But, to quote an old saying I once heard, “That’s why they play the game.”

The game started out just like Davis thought. The Mustangs held a 24-18 lead midway through the first half.
There’s one thing SMU didn’t have Saturday — Greedy Daniels.

Daniels scored 23 points and dished out eight assists. His two steals gave him 97 for the season, breaking the record set by Mike Jones during the 1997-98 season.

He was everywhere. He created shots with passes reminiscent to that of the Magic Johnson days in Los Angeles — a very steep comparison, but fitting, at least for a day.

Daniels created more than just shots. He created a renewed excitement for the TCU men’s basketball season. He has allowed people to see exactly how well this year’s Horned Frogs are capable of playing.

He created a win in a game that featured offense, offense and offense. It was a game in which the first one to 100 points would win. TCU took a 100-91 victory in front of 6,720 people.

At 4-3 in the WAC, the TCU basketball team can play with a renewed direction. For a few days, the ship has been righted. Tubbs has the team headed back in the right direction. Daniels has the team headed in the right direction. At least, for now all is right with ‘Billy Ball.’

Looking ahead at the schedule: TCU plays at home against Tulsa Thursday. The Horned Frogs’ problems with Tulsa have been well documented (six consecutive losses).

With a strong performance against the Golden Hurricane, the win against SMU becomes even more legitimate. The Horned Frogs as contenders in the WAC Tournament becomes more legitimate.

However, a loss, and the Frogs are right back where they started — trying to answer questions as to why they can’t find more consistency.

Associate Editor Danny Horne is a senior broadcast journalism major from Carrollton.
He can be reached at (d.m.horne@student.tcu.edu).